Emily Bett Rickards is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Felicity Smoak in the thriller series Arrow and its many spin-offs. In this biography, Rickards tells her story in her own words.

Emily Bett Rickards Bio: Age, Early Life, Family, Education

Rickards was born on July 24, 1991 (age: 30) in British Columbia, Canada. Her mother, Diane Grieg, enrolled young Rickards in musical theater and dance classes. After graduating early from high school, Rickards completed the Acting Essentials Program at Vancouver Film School. She later secured an agent at an open-call audition and enrolled in the Alida Vocal Studio. In 2009, her efforts landed her her first professional appearance in the Nickelback music video for “Never Gonna Be Alone.”

Emily Bett Rickards Bio: Exclusive Interview on Her Path to Stardom

In June 2019, Rickards sat down with uInterview for an exclusive interview. She revealed how she first got involved in acting and where she travels in her free time.

Rickards told uInterview exclusively about her childhood passion for acting. “I just always loved it,” she said. “We did Oliver and Pippy Longstocking and Peter Pan – all these sort of fanatical children’s stories. We brought them to life, and that’s always something that I knew I wanted to do.”

When Rickards isn’t acting, she can be found in any number of countries around the world. She told uInterview that she hopes to visit Israel, Alaska and California in the near future. “I want to go everywhere,” she explained, “so it’s a little bit hard to pick and choose.” Rickards did shed a particularly positive light on her recent trip to Cuba. “Once you were there for a while, I feel like your time slowed down,” she told uInterview, which “really made you look around, absorb this color palette you were in.”

Check out the autobiographical interview at the top of this page.

Emily Bett Rickards Bio: Arrow, Felicity Smoak, Movies and TV Shows

Following Rickard’s music video debut, she honed her craft for another three years before gracing the screen in the short film Bacon and Eggs. Later in 2012, she appeared in Flicka: Country Prude as well as Random Acts of Romance. While neither movie received rave reviews, they garnered Rickards critical attention and earned her a spot in the CW thriller series Arrow. Between 2012 and 2019, she played Felicity Smoak in 154 episodes of the series. Arrow became a smash-hit, winning 15 awards and 68 nominations over the course of its seven seasons. Rickards’ performance earned her 15 award nominations and the 2016 MTV Fandom Awards Ship of the Year, which she shared with co-star Stephen Amell.

Throughout her Arrow career, Rickards kept busy by acting in web shows and TV movies. In 2013, she played the main role in Soldiers of the Apocalypse as well as Felicity Smoak in the spin-off web series Arrow: Blood Rush. That same year, she appeared as Lauren Philips in the TV film Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story. A year later, Rickards acted in the indie drama Cowgirls ‘n Angels: Dakota’s Summer. Between then and 2017, the actress returned to The Flash as Felicity Smoak, securing a Leo Awards nomination.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj0l7iGKh8g

2015 was a busy year for Rickards. She voiced herself in an episode of the animated show Very Mallory and Felicity Smoak in the Arrow spin-off Vixen. Also in 2015, Rickards starred in the short film Normal Doors and the Oscar-nominated drama Brooklyn.

Rickards continued her work as Felicity Smoak the following year. Her character appeared in both the promotional video for Superhero Fight Club 2.0 and the series Legends of Tomorrow. Additionally, Rickards played different characters in the Canadian web series Paranormal Solutions, Inc. and the short film Sidekick. For the first time, she appeared as herself on live-action shows like Comedy Bang! Bang! and Whose Line Is It Anyway?

In 2017, Rickards voiced Caitlin in the film Axis. This movie premiered at the Sarasota Film Festival and won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Later in 2017, Rickards stayed in character as Felicity Smoak in Vixen: the Movie.

The next year, Rickards acted in the movie Funny Story, earning a nomination for Best Leading Actress in a Feature at the Southampton International Film Festival. Later in 2018, she portrayed Stevens in the indie film The Clinic and appeared in the sci-fi movie Slumber. She also narrated The Wicked Ones, an audiobook in the Mortal Instruments series, and is set to star in We Need to Talk later in 2019.

Emily Bett Rickards Bio: Exclusive Interview on ‘Reborning’

Between 2018 and 2019, Rickards performed in off-Broadway productions of the play Reborning in Vancouver and New York. In June 2019, Rickards sat down with uInterview for an exclusive interview. She discussed her new play, Reborning, and what she loves most about acting on stage.

Rickards told uInterview exclusively about the plot of Reborning. “It’s about this woman, Kelly, who … designs these ‘reborning’ dolls, which are dolls meant to feel and look like real people – real infants, in this case,” she explained. “And she starts having a turn in her life that causes her to question identity and choices in life, and the catalyst of that is a client who comes in and starts asking her to perfect this doll that my character already thought was perfected.”

Rickards told uInterview that while she has always loved theater, “it’s not just a love so much anymore; it’s a need.” Since the debut of Reborning, the actress has found a deeper appreciation for stage acting. “It would be hard, I think, switch back to only doing TV, which is such a great medium as well,” she said. “But this ability to use this rehearsal space and this time – which you’re not always blessed when you do TV, not always … That time really gives you sort of this meat and this understanding and this way to build and discover and really sort of excavate these layers of these people that you’re trying to take on over the course of their life.”

Check out the full interview.

Emily Bett Rickards Bio: Personal Life, Partner, Dating, Instagram

Rickards has revealed little about her personal life, but dating rumors still circulate. Many tabloids and Arrow viewers believe Rickards used to date her co-star Stephen Amell. Current rumors suggest that she and Aisha Tyler are together. The actress has neither confirmed nor denied these relationships.

Rickards can be found on Instagram at @emilybett.

Emily Bett Rickards Bio: Quotes

“I’m always interested to meet my friends’ parents, or who they were raised by. Where they grew up I always find very interesting.”

“When you get involved romantically with someone, sometimes you end up overlooking things that you could help people with better, as a friend.”

“I like exploring, especially being and getting more comfortable with a character and in the space a character is always in.”

“It’s interesting that you don’t always fall in love with someone that you’re perfectly perfect for.”

“I was always very physical, growing up, and did sports. I like to get out and do different things, and walk in different shoes. I like change. I like challenge.”

“Every time someone in your life dies, you realize you’re not invincible and you have to wonder if we’re celebrating life or if we’re mourning a death.”

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